back in 1998, hagel helped block names hormel's nomination as u.s. ambassador telling a newspaper that gays should not represent america, especially, quote, openly, aggressively gay like hormel. we fast forward and hormel is now putting his support behind chuck hagel. ambassador hormel joins me live from san francisco. great to have you here with me this morning. when we talk on the heels on the op-ed you wrote this week, saying hagel has taken stock regarding disparaging remarks he made about me, he issued an apology, times and minds have changed. but we remind everybody, sir, back in december, you did not accept that apology, telling the "washington post," i thought this so-called apology which i haven't received but which was made public had the air of being a defensive move on his part. so he has not apologized to you, at least as far as i know, has not apologized to you in person. so why change your viewpoint now in this latest op-ed? >> well, thank you for asking that. because i've had the opportunity to examine the circumstances, and what i fi